The rhythms that make up my life.

The Girlfr... Wife's Workout Routine

2012-01-31T10:59:00.006+08:00

Well as most of you should know by now, Miss Leong Shin Wei is now my wife based on Malaysian Law. We got registered on the 12th of January 2012. Still getting used to referring to her as my wife.

However we have yet to proceed with the Chinese Ceremony yet, therefore we don't have to give out any Ang Pows! Yay!!!

Anyway, my sweet wife is currently working out as well, and has just asked me to revise her workout schedule. So this is tentatively what she is doing for the week:

Day 1 (Monday) : Lower Body

The target for the lower body workout is not to gain muscle, but lean out the legs, therefore she will be performing high reps, low weight exercises.

Squats : 3 sets of 20 reps

Leg Press : 3 sets of 20 reps

Leg Curl : 3 sets of 20 reps

Stiff Leg Deadlifts (Romanian Deadlifts) : 3 sets of 20 reps

Calf Raises : 3 sets of 20 reps

Dumbbell Lunges : 3 sets to failure

*1 Minute rest between each set, and in between exercises

20 Minutes of Full Body HIT (High Intensity) Cardio -

Rowing Machine / Crosstrainer

The HIT cardio will be split as shown below:

5 Minutes - Moderate Intensity Warm Up

1 Minute - High Intensity

2 Minute - Low Intensity

The High-Low pair will be repeated 4 times for a total of 12 minutes.

3 Minutes - Moderate Intensity Cool Down

Performing cardio after weight lifting will maximize fat loss.

Day 2 (Tuesday) : Yoga

She teaches yoga to her fellow colleagues.

Day 3 (Wednesday) : Upper Body

For her upper body routine, I have incorporated supersets into her workout, to increase the intensity.

A super set is a type of exercise where two different muscle groups will be worked out back to back without pause, and usually targets antagonist muscle groups (eg. Biceps vs Triceps).

Super Set 1 : Biceps vs Triceps

Preacher Curls : 3 sets of 10 reps

Triceps Bench Dips : 3 sets of 10 reps

Super Set 2 : Chest vs Shoulders

Cable Crossovers : 3 sets of 10 reps

Standing Shoulder Press : 3 sets of 10 reps

**Set the starting position of the cables to a high position, and pull down cable

Super Set 3 : Back vs Chest

Deadlifts : 3 sets of 10 reps

Pushups : 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Super Set 4 : Abs (Lower and Upper)

Situps : 3 sets of 15 reps

Leg Raises : 3 sets of 15 reps

*1 Minute rest after each super set (eg. 1 set biceps, 1 set triceps, rest, repeat)

20 Minutes of Lower Body HIT (High Intensity) Cardio - Running / Cycling

*Use the similar split like day 1

Day 4 (Thursday) : Home Workout

She will be doing a type of aerobics video exercise at home. Pretty tough.

Day 5 - 7 (Friday - Weekend) : Rest!

Song recommendation of the day:
Gym Class Heroes feat. Neon Hitch - Ass Back Home

Quickie Update For a Big Event

2012-01-05T09:39:00.007+08:00

Just wanted to make a quick post to update one of the most important milestones in my life.

For those who don't know, I'm now engaged!

I guess when you have found someone whom you know you will never be able to replace and can imagine spending the rest of your life with, best "put a ring on it" and make her yours. So I did without a single thought of regret.

Thanks to my bros who helped me make this a success, couldn't have done it without you guys. It felt good to know that you guys could drop everything and help me when I needed it. Though most days you guys (including me) act like total idiots, at least I know that you guys have my back.

Ivan and Ju-Jinn are missing from the pics. But this message goes out to you two as well.

Besides that, thanks to my parents for the support and helping me make my ideas be accomplished. I love you both!

And last but not least, to my dear fiancee, Leong Shin Wei. Thank you for agreeing to go through this lifetime with me, accepting all my flaws and loving me for who I am.

I love you.

Song recommendation of the day:
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years

Milk for a Post-Workout Food

2011-12-09T13:07:00.007+08:00

Most people use protein powders as their post or pre-workout food for optimum muscle repairs without the added fats or carbohydrates. But for those who want a mass building alternative to protein powders or weight gain powders, I just read an interesting article on milk as a post-workout food:

Click here for Article

Personally I am consuming around 400ml of HL low fat milk pre-workout which consists of:
22g of Carbs, 20g of protein and 4g of fat

Let's see if I make any gains from using milk as a supplement as opposed to using protein powders.

A New Direction

2011-12-09T11:08:00.010+08:00

This blog has been dead for a really long time. And it's about time to revive it.

For the past 3 months I have been actively working out at the gym following a strict routine as well as keeping my diet in check.

I've decided that I'll be using my blog to track my workout progress, list some of my findings on body building as well as other useful fitness facts. Should be a good source of motivation for myself to keep pushing

Current Gym Routine:

Mondays : Chest (C) & Biceps (B)
Decline Barbell Bench Press : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (C)
Incline Dumbbell Press : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (C)

Flat Dumbbell Press : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (C)

Dumbbell flies : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (C)

Dumbbell Concentration Curls : 2 sets of 8-10 reps (B)

Dips : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (C)

Straight bar curl : 2 sets of 8-10 reps (B)

Push-ups : 3 sets to failure (C)

Tuesday: Cardio

Sprint Training (High Intensity Cardio)

Wednesday: Back

Dumbbell pullover : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Close grip pulldown : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Wide grip pulldown : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

One arm row: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Barbell deadlifts : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Body weight rows : 3 sets to failure

Thursday: Shoulder (S) & Triceps (T)

Shoulder Dumbbell Press : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (S)

Side Raise : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (S)

Side Delt Cable Raise : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (S)

Reverse Dumbbell Flies : 2 sets of 8-10 reps

Triceps Pulldown : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (T)

Lying Triceps Pullover : 3 sets of 8-10 reps (T)

Seated Dumbbell Press : 2 sets of 8-10 reps (T)

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday or Sunday: Legs

Squats : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Narrow Leg Press : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Leg Extension : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Stiff Legged Deadlift : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Leg Curl : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Calf Press : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

Calf Raise : 3 sets of 8-10 reps

**********************************************************************************

This would be my routine for the next 6 weeks.

It is based mostly from Dorian Yates program with some minor adjustments and extra sets:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dorian-yates-blood-guts-6-week-trainer.htm

Current body weight:
58-59kg

Target body weight by the end of December:
60-61kg

Song recommendation of the day:
Skrillex - First of the Year

21

2009-07-30T16:34:00.006+08:00

I just turned 21 today. As I cross the threshold to adulthood, I stopped to think. So much has happened the past 21 years, that it's hard to even list down everything. But I think the moment I stepped into adulthood, I am definitely happy with who I am today.

Well anyway, I had one of the most memorable nights of my life the night before I turned 21. My girlfriend invited me out for a dinner date via a voucher she sent me through the e-mail. Took me a while to realize that the voucher was made by her. It really brought a smile to my face.

It was definitely a night to remember. She put her heart and soul in planning everything to perfection, just to make my 21st birthday an unforgettable one. Thank you darling. It really meant a lot to me. :)

Song recommendation of the day:
Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You

3 Months

2009-07-24T10:44:00.006+08:00

...and still going strong.

Dead.. To be revived soon.

2009-07-06T00:54:00.003+08:00

I have been totally blank on blog posts, thus the non-updates.

But when I have something good I'll come up with something.

In the meantime, my plurk timeline will tell all that is happening for now.

There are a few things I do plan to do:

a) Record a song ( I HAVE TO RECORD SOMETHING)
b) Start doing some actual work on the MP3 player.

Song recommendation of the day:
Papa Roach - Scars

In the midst of the holidays.

2009-06-07T23:29:00.002+08:00

The first week of my trimester break is gone. Passed in a blink of an eye. It feels good to be back in my room, air-condition and all (now it's turned up to 27 degrees Celcius or I start sniffling). Family's good, grandma even walks better than before, thanks to the knee replacement surgery. Joey seems to have missed me. And my drumset is there waiting for me to bring it down the next semester.

As I sit down in front of my laptop, typing this post out, many things seem to go through my mind. And all of it just makes me smile.

All I can say is, I could not be happier at this moment. When I look back at things, I realise that I do not regret anything that I've done the past 20 years of my life because it brought me till this day. (wow deep thoughts much lol)

My family's happy. My dad has finally retired, and is making the most of each day doing the things he loves, which includes getting really good at pool, watching movies and just pretty much relaxing. My brother is about to finish his A-levels, and I'm pretty sure he kicked its ass already. I don't think my mom has much to complain about. Everything seems to be falling into place. Not that it was never in place before that. I guess everything just fits tighter now.

And of course, not forgetting that I got to spend time with my girl on Saturday when she came down to Penang. I've missed her.

Well the next thing on the agenda is bowling tomorrow. And the trip to London. Probably one of the last family vacations because my brother will be starting uni soon. It should be fun.

Song recommendation of the day:

Adele - Make You Feel My Love

Tenji

2009-05-27T23:53:00.008+08:00

Tenji Japanese Buffet Restaurant is located at Solaris Mont Kiara in KL and is simply awesome if you love Japanese gourmet. The only other Japanese buffets I've tried are at Kampachi (Equatorial Hotel, Penang) and at Tao (E-Gate Penang).

Hands down, Tenji blows away the other two with its huge buffet spread, ample choices and classy ambience.

Outside Tenji.

The entrance to the restaurant itself looks some what like the lobby of a hotel. Definitely a good impression of things to come.

The picture does not do it justice.

After driving for a good 45 mins, a toilet break was definitely needed. The washroom itself did not fail to impress.

We arrived at 11.26, 4 mins before the buffet started. After washing up, it was 11.30 and we were led to the buffet hall. And yes, we were the first ones there.

What we saw totally blew us away. The place was huge. And it definitely looked great. Some sort of classical Japanese song was playing in the background which adds to the effect.

Before getting down to business (eating), we walked around just to see the choices. The way they presented the food was definitely appetizing. I'll let the pics do the talking:

Sashimi

Scallops

Shishamo

Baked Leg of Lamb

The desert section Cakes, puddings, or Häagen-Dazs anyone?

Pastry. My dad would go nuts.

The totally awesome chocolate fountain!

Needless to say, we had a great time. And bigger stomaches. Will definitely go again. Already promised my brother to take him there when he gets to KL.

Song recommendation of the day:

Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

I really need to update

2009-05-21T10:38:00.004+08:00

I feel that my blog really needs updates. But I have been too busy especially with finals dawning on me. 2 papers are over and 1 more will be in the afternoon. Will put up a proper post after the exams. There's one already in the drafts. Expect tonnes of pics! Too many things have happened and it's gonna be one bomb of a post.

And it seems that if I do well in the finals. I do not have to finance my own set of double pedals. Any mid range pedals to recommend? I'm thinking of Gibraltar.

*edit* post is up!

Song recommendation of the day:
Liquid Tension Experiment - Universal Mind

A different side of life.

2009-05-12T12:46:00.014+08:00

It's been a really long while since my last post. Guess I've not really had much time to spend online, as the finals are coming up next week. Feel pretty relaxed though..

Loads of things have happened since my last post, and I've gone through many changes. For one, I now found out that I can study some place else besides in the comfort of my room. I spend every single day waking up with a smile and looking forward to the new things the day will bring. Guess it's really been a while since things are like this. Despite the finals looming in 1 week's time, I still find time to do things I like and not just lock myself in the room 24/7.

Some of the highlights of the week would include my music performance at New Era college, stuffing myself at the Pasar Malam in Serdang and going around to random places to study with my girl.

The Performance at New Era
The performance at New Era went well. I have to admit I was pretty nervous, but soon got over my jitters after the first song I played. My girl tagged along and became my personal photographer.

The first song was the song composed by my friend and fellow ex-Disted coursemate Lim Sze Lin, entitled "Be An Angel". During the Fresh Bottle Recital night, he limited my playing to "as simple as possible". But during this time, I was allowed to go crazy with the song. And I thoroughly enjoyed that.

The next song was the song which had the highest audience ratings during the Fresh Bottle Recital night which was, Jian Tong Nian, written by Ghim Yao. This song had an encore performance both during the recital night, and in New Era.

I was also asked to add extra flavor to the song. And I did. I hope. Lol.

I can safely say we made our name there that day. Despite technical difficulties with the mike. More pics!

Pasar Malam in Serdang

Recently I discovered a pasar malam nearby to Cyberjaya. Well 20 mins is considered near over here. It was quite a pleasant surprise. By "pasar malam" I usually expect it to be shops selling cheapo toys and clothes. But this pasar malam was a food galore. Shin Wei and I went along with our friends Natalie and Chee Wen.

Nevertheless, I have to say we ate alot. And by we, I mean Shin Wei and I. We probably ate two times or three times the amount of Natalie and Chee Wen put together. Oh well.. The food included satay, some ice kacang thingy but with fruits, chai kuih, mua chee, chinese sausages, pancakes, and other foodstuff that I can't remember the names.

Definitely would want to go again. Pictures aren't available at the moment as they are all in Shin Wei's phone.

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Study week was indeed fun to say the least.

Here are some random pics:

Recital Practice:

Blood Donation

SS2 and Secret Recipe

Song recommendation of the day:
Liquid Tension Experiment - Paradigm Shift

All the craziness has come to an end.

2009-04-24T12:39:00.005+08:00

The past few weeks have been crazy, with exams, assignment datelines, and nightly music practice. Not forgetting my concert. And now everything has come to an end, it feels so weird to feel so free. But then again, I'm not complaining.

The Fresh Bottle Acoustics Recital Night last night was a blast. Everything went according to plan, though I did screw up here and there, but managed to cover it up. One of the songs I played was popular enough to be requested for an encore performance, and needless to say, that was probably my best performance of the night. Though I was clad in super gay pink, my drum solo in the middle of the song went according to plan. I came up with the solo backstage to incorporate into the song. Failed the first time, but hit it during the encore. Man it felt good.

However the star of the evening could most probably be Kit Leong, with his violin solo. I sat in the crowd watching him perform, and cheering he got from the first note he played. Girls screamed when he played his solo. He had no facial expression whatsoever, but I bet he felt great.

Surprisingly handling all the workload felt like nothing. Probably because she was there with me almost the entire time.

The next obstacle left is finals. I'm not too worried.

Song recommendation of the day:
Liquid Tension Experiment - Acid Rain (too awesome to describe)

Diving. Headfirst. Blindfolded.

2009-04-07T08:47:00.005+08:00

I don't want to. Yet I am. Damn.

The wild ride.

2009-04-06T18:18:00.002+08:00

These couple of weeks has been a wild rollercoaster ride. I've gone pretty out of my mind, came to a standstill, and then thrown back into the fray with a sudden twist of fate. And I would not have it any other way.

The next couple of weeks are going to be stressful, but I still have a smile on my face. I doubt it's coming off anytime soon.

Song recommendation of the day:
Flo Rida - Right Round

Earth Hour

2009-03-28T20:31:00.002+08:00

Here I am sitting in the dark while my laptop is running on its batteries. Most of the lights in my home are off. However there some are running on a timer, so I have no idea how to switch them off. I look out my window, I can see my neighbours walking in the dark in their own homes. I guess most people are taking the initiative to join in on this particular hour in which we sacrifice a small part of our comfort to benefit and show our concern for the world.

Even shopping complexes are turning off their lights, leaving the necessary ones to allow people not to bump into each other. Radio stations going off the air. Everyone is playing their part.

Sitting here it makes me wonder, how many people out there do not care. I sure hope there aren't many.

Song recommendation of the day:
Apocalyptica feat. Cristina Scabbia - S.O.S. (Anything but love)

How does it add up?

2009-03-28T02:18:00.002+08:00

I need to know what the hell is going on.

I need to calm myself down.

Home, is where the heart is...... As well as my dog, drums and air conditioned room.

2009-03-24T18:44:00.006+08:00

As you all might know, I'm back in Penang for one week. Wished it could be longer, I mean who wouldn't. Being back home feels exactly the same as the day I left it. Joey greeted me like I was never gone, my room looks exactly the same (besides for an empty table, it's usually messy). My mom starts stuffing me with vegies. And my drums sit there, dust-free (thanks to whoever who kept it that way =D )awaiting my return. It does feel good to be back. But my car is left in Cyberjaya. Guess I'll have to steal Je Vin's in the meantime.

Got this week pretty much planned out. At first it seemed like I have nothing to do, but my schedule is getting filled by the second. And I'm not complaining. At least I won't rot at home.

Besides that, I also got my song list for the concert next month. Turns out I'll be playing 4 songs, 2 English songs, 2 Chinese songs. All emo songs. I think every single song being played in the concert is pretty much really really slow stuff. I think I'm gonna fall asleep performing. But hey, I get to play on stage.

Songs to be played:
Being With You (song with really gay cliche'd lyrics)
Be An Angel (piano composition by Lim Sze Lin)
Hou Lai Zhen Me Le (This one seems okay)
Jian Tong Nian (This song is just plain annoying)

*edit : Jian Tong Nian turned out to be the most enjoyable song for me to play on the concert night. I take back my words.

That'll be it for now. Busy busy week.

Song recommendation of the day:
The Prodigy - Run With The Wolves

Gah..

2009-03-19T21:15:00.002+08:00

I should really bang my head on the wall several times.

Can't we all get along?

2009-03-14T23:03:00.005+08:00

Some things have been on my mind for quite some time. It's the petty squabbling and animosity among the people I know. People dear to me whom I consider all friends. It would be something I will not quite understand. Everyone is different, everyone has their flaws. It is up to us to accept them, understand, and help them change.

Sometimes the things said or done by an individual might come off wrong to others. But after knowing that person more, we can know why and where it comes from. What happened in the past to make the person act the way he is. And that helps us to accept their actions, to forgive and let go. We are human, we make mistakes. We speak before thinking, later on wishing that we can take back what was said. I myself know that sometimes what I say can come off as insulting, degrading and egoistic when I get carried away.

But it's the serious moments, the moments when you see friends being there for one another, is when actions do count for something.

Nowadays, a harmless joke from one will spark anger in another. And it really saddens me, as I know, no one actually means what they say. It was said in good spirit, yet the other party takes it to heart. Probably because what was said hit a nerve. Then you have to think again, not everyone will know what's on your mind. Not everyone will know the things you find sensitive or hurting. I have faith in all my friends that they are all good people. I'm pretty sure if the person did know how badly what he did it affected another, he would refrain from repeating it.

But it's not entirely the fault of the people taking things too seriously. Knowing where to draw the line, knowing when to apologise is a different thing all together. And I can't deny, that some of the people that I know do go too far. And I know that I'm not excluded in this matter, I am trying to change.

In conclusion, it is possible for all this to go away, if we're more honest and direct to each other. To shut up and listen. And I'm willing to start it all off.

So, my friends, what shit have I done? Tell it to me in my face. Then hopefully we all can get along because I know that all of you are good people at heart. And what I think about all of you will not change.

ps: the very last sentence is a lil gay. LOL

Song recommendation of the day:
Brooke White - Hold Up My Heart

Cockroaches

2009-03-11T01:35:00.001+08:00

Filthy, pointless creatures with no reason of existence. Gah.

For You

2009-03-07T17:27:00.007+08:00

As promised! Hope you like it, it's been ages since I've written anything.. Sorry if I'm a lil rusty.

I see you standing there,
Looking ahead with a glassy stare,
With a hurt noone has to bear,
But this life is not one to be fair.

I see you standing still,
Not wanting to feel,
Not wanting to leave this ordeal,
Not wanting to let your heart heal.

I see you feeling afraid,
For all the things that were left unsaid,
For the tears that you've shed,
But still not knowing what lies ahead.

I see you holding on,
To the remnants of the past, long gone,
Keeping it all in, withdrawn,
Hoping and yearning for a new dawn.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me take you away,
Steal your pain day by day,
Lead you from the dismay,
Just to see a smile hidden beneath the fray.

Let me open your eyes,
To see a world where happiness has no price,
To free your heart from behind the ice,
To see things under a new sunrise.

Let me be your pillar,
To hold onto when you feel bitter,
The one who makes your life brighter,
When everything around you seems to wither.

Let me take your hand when you're weary,
Because it's not too late nor too early,
For you to leave the pain behind, to walk steady,
Never alone, for I will always be there, always ready.

Song recommendation of the day:
Shannon Thomas - Collide

Audition

2009-03-06T22:18:00.004+08:00

A few nights back I went for an audition. It was to play drums for a concert in April.

I actually did not want to at first. Lai (the rhythm guitarists i played with) went to the actual date of the audition, which was on the 2nd of March if I'm not mistaken. I did not want to go because the band was under the Chinese Language Society. And if you all know me, I'm the Chinese dude who doesn't speak any Mandarin whatsoever. So to avoid ridicule I decided I'll just leave it at that.

But then Wing (lead guitar) told me that there would be a jamming session on the day after audition. He even showed me the ad, which said anyone who plays music are welcome. I was thinking myself, I will not miss the chance to play drums at any opportunity I'm offered. So I dragged my friend, Sze Lin with me to go. Since he could speak chinese and was a musician anyway (pianist).

I was bored there at first, as they played mostly chinese songs. And those songs had minimal drums. But the people there were pretty nice. They found out that I was Chinese-illiterate and all of them spoke to me in English. They even offered to play some English songs. I was like, hey,maybe this isn't too bad.

The session was pretty fun. I played drums (yay) and I even sang. Despite his earlier complaints, Sze Lin was having fun playing the keyboard. During the session, a few of the musicians came up to me and asked why I did not come for the audition the previous day. I shrugged off the question.

The next day, Sze Lin told me that the society was having another audition and they asked me to go. So what the hell, I went along with Chinway and Sze Lin.

Here's how the audition went:

CHINWAY'S AUDITION (keyboard)-

CW : Hey, are you sure this chord is correct?
Keyboardist : Yes.
CW : It's definitely wrong.
Keyboardist : No it isn't.
CW : Yes it is.
Keyboardist : No it isn't.
(Repeat x100)
.
.
.
The entire session was pretty much this argument. No doubt Chinway was the way better player than the current keyboardist but some people just can't admit mistakes.

SZE LIN'S AUDITION (keyboard)-

SL : I'm gonna play an emo song of my composition. (I'm just guessing this because he composes songs and it sure sounded like one of his compositions)

*plays emo-song written by himself*

I'm pretty sure he would get the part, as there was no heated battle happening during his audition. Lol. Plus he is an awesome pianist. Anyone wanna listen to one of his songs, I have it.

MY AUDITION-

I'm gonna leave this blank. Don't want to seem like I'm bragging and later not get the part. LOL

Anyway, the concert is in April as mentioned at the start. I guess it will be a good experience as I've never played on stage for a large audience before. Hope it all goes well.

*edit* : I passed the audition. :)

Song recommendation of the day:
Crazy Town - Hurt You So Bad

With sticks in hand.

2009-03-02T21:42:00.003+08:00

Last night, after almost 2 months of no drumming, I finally got the opportunity to pick up my drum sticks and play with awesome musicians. It really felt good being behind the kit again. We went to RS Jamming Studio at Equine Park, Seri Kembangan. The studio was below average, but I guess it didn't really matter. As long as there was a drum set and backing music, it was good enough for me.

There were four of us, 2 guitarists, 1 bassist and I. The lead guitarist was this miniature dude and his friend, the rhythm guitarists was a huge dude. Both hugely talented (and happened to be staying in the exact same condo block as me). The bassist is a friend of mine from Sarawak whom I met through playing an online game called GunZ Online, many years back. Was surprised to meet him here in Cyberjaya. Turns out he was studying in Lim Kok Wing.

We only chose a few songs to play that night:

Blink 182 - All The Small Things
Muse - Time Is Running Out
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Face down (I love this song)

We had no vocalist so I did the vocals for the songs I knew. Was really rusty but after an hour or so of playing I think I'm getting back my touch. Nevertheless it was fun. Most probably will be going again this weekend with more songs. More challenging ones hopefully. Hopefully some Velvet Revolver or Breaking Benjamin. Yet to discuss.

Well besides all that, uni life seems to be picking up its pace. Lab reports, assignments and midterm tests coming up. Really seems daunting. Wish me luck.

I gotta pick up my blogging pace, it seems to have slowed down to once a month.

Song recommendation of the day:
Anna Nalick - Breathe (2 a.m.)

Hi, my name is Je Sen and I live in Cyberjaya

2009-02-03T22:51:00.003+08:00

From the title, as most of you can guess I have a new address. Yes I'm living in the "INTELLIGENT CITY", called Cyberjaya and am now studying in Multimedia University. Trust me there is nothing intelligent about this city, pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

It's been quite some time since I've updated anything on my blog. Been busy, pretty much starting over as freshmen in a new university. Besides that, with the help of my parents, the place I live pretty much has everything that I do consider the comforts of home, with the exception of my family being there of course.

Living on my own so far, seems to be going pretty well. People seem to say it's hard being on your own, being independent. But somehow to me, it does not seem that hard. Though of course, I do miss home, but this is something new, and I guess I thrive on new things.

The first few days of uni have been fairly unexciting to say the least. Haven't started any tough sections of the subjects yet, so I guess I'm still taking it easy. The population of MMU is pretty large, though the ratio of good looking girls might be 1000:1. Yes, it is very sad indeed. But I'll live.

I guess that's the update for now. I know many things are yet to come. And I'm pretty sure I'm very ready to face them.

Here's one pic!

The first home cooked meal!

P.S : Driving here absolutely rocks!

Song recommendation of the day:
Trivium - Of Prometheus and the Crucifix

Tagged

2009-01-07T21:01:00.005+08:00

Got tagged by Ee Yin. Might as well do it since my exams are over and done with:

1. Pick a word that begins with the first letter of your name.
Tyranny (no idea why that popped into my mind)

2. Who are you missing right now?
Amy Oon (don't gloat if you read this)

3. Your ex shows up randomly at your house , what do you say?
Hi.

4. How many bedrooms are in your house?
5

5. Is there a reason for your profile song?
Don't have one.

6. Do you hate the last girl you were talking to?
Of course not, she's my future housemate.

7. Who was your last text message from?
Evonne a.k.a. Clumsy

8. What time did you wake up this morning?
7am (exams)

9. If someone liked you right now , would you want them to tell you?
Don't know, don't care.

10. Did you mean it when you said "i love you" last?
Yes.

11. Is it okay if you kiss people when you're single?
I don't see why not.

12. What is wrong with you now?
Nothing at all. Or so I think.

13. Do you think you'll be married in 10 years?
Most likely.

14. Would you kiss someone to make your ex bf/gf mad?
No. Don't see the point.

15. Do you believe exes can really ever be "just friends"?
It really depends.

16. Do you use T9 , word or abc?
T9

17. Do you tell your mum everything?
Most things.

18. Who was the last person you cried in front of?
Don't remember. Probably my mom.

19. Have you told anybody you loved them today?
My dog.

20.Who can you trust?
My brother. And dog.

Quiz 2.
1. Besides Your Lips, Where Is Your Favourite Spot To Get Kissed?
I don't want anyone to feel squeamish so I'll skip this.

2. How Did You Feel When You Woke Up This Morning?
Excited. Last day of exam. Last day of truly being a student at Disted.

3. Who Was The Last Person You Took A Picture Of?
Ivan. Who was sleeping.

4. Would You Consider Yourself To Be Spoiled?
Maybe.

5. Would You Ever Donate Blood?
Yes. But haven't done so.

6. Have You Ever Had A Best Friend Who Was Of The Opposite Sex?
Yes.

7. Do You Want Someone Dead?
Yes. Well probably not. Lol.

8. What Does Your Last Text Message Says?
I emptied my sent messages.

9. What Are You Thinking Right Now?
Nothing at all.

10. Do You Wish Someone Was With You Right Now?
Guess not.

11. What Time Did You Go To Sleep Last Night?
12.30am.

12. Where Did You Buy The Shirt You're Wearing Now?
I don't remember. It's very very old.

13. Is Someone On Your Mind Right Now?
No.

14. Who Was The Last Person To Text You?
Evonne Khoo

Quiz 3.
1. What’s your nickname?
Donkeh (Amy Oon), Silly (Evonne), Boobsen (Gwen). Plenty more.

2. How old are you?
20. But 21 this years. (@Ee Yin: "Don't oh gosh at your age. You're only 18).

3. When’s your birthday?
31st July

4. What’s your special skill?
What the hell is special skill.

5. What’s your horoscope?
Leo

6. Who pass this survey to you?
Ee Yin

7. She’s your….?
My baby sis! lol

8. What you wanna talk to him/her?
Come to Penang!

9. What you think about him/her?
Short. Just kidding. Really adorable at times. Doesn't really take care of herself well.

10. When you know him/her?
3 years ago.

11. How’s her attitude?
Workaholic. Since she started her course in sg.

12.Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?
No.

13. If one day , your lover tell you that he/she loves you too , how will you do ?
This is a lame question.

14. Are you well-being now?
Never better. But a bit of cough.

15. Why does god give you courage?
So I can do dumb things.

16. Who’s the people that you like?
Almost everyone. Well mostly.

17.Which colour do you like the most?
Blood red.

18. God give you 4 wishes:
1st: Good health to my family and friends. (to be less self-centered)
2nd: Strike lottery (so I can fulfill all material wants)
3rd: Play drums like Jojo Mayer + Joey Jordison + The Rev + Travis Smith combined.
4th: To be able to fly. No joke.

19. Do you like to smile and laugh ?
Silly question.

Gonna tag Chinway and Kit Leong.

Song recommendation of the day:
The Script - The Man Who Can't Be Moved

The beckoning call of a new year.

2009-01-01T12:26:00.002+08:00

It's 2009.

Yes, this year will be the year I turn 21.

Yes, this is the year I will be leaving Penang.

But has anything really changed? Maybe.

What is for sure is, noone knows what a new year will bring. And to me it is something really exciting, venturing into a world of the unknown. And this year will be no less exciting than the last, probably even more.

2008 was over before I knew it. There were many ups and downs. I changed, some for the better and some for the worse. I made mistakes and learned from them. Guess it has been another year which I have no regrets.

2009 will definitely be an adventure.

However the new year mood does not really start for me till I get past my final exams. Kind of "potong steam".

Will do another post pretty soon. Have to get back to work.

Happy New Year everyone..

Song recommendation of the day:
The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go

*This post seems to lack enthusiasm and liveliness. Yes I do notice that.

Satriani vs Coldplay

2008-12-29T16:15:00.007+08:00

A lot of interesting things happen in today's music scene, some downright silly and some worthy of taking note. One of those would be the:

Joe Satriani vs Coldplay Lawsuit

It seems that Joe Satriani has sued Coldplay for copyright infringement/plagiarism of his work. Coldplay's grammy nominated song, Viva La Vida allegedly contains "substantial, original portions" of Satriani's 2004 song, If I Could Fly.

I personally have listened to both songs, and it really struck me how the chorus of Satriani's song and the melody of Viva La Vida are VERY ALIKE. Coldplay claims it is coincidence, however Satriani does not seem to think so. Listen to the song mash-up below:

It begs the question, did Coldplay really plagiarise the song? I find it hard to believe that such a bestselling band, which had already written dozens of great songs would resort to copying the work of another artist.

I guess in music there's always a limit to creativity; in the sense that from the time music was first played until now, there will songs which would have similarities. You might think you created something new, but if you look back hard enough or far enough, there will probably be another musician who has written something which sounds the same.

Another example of a similar tune would be Avril Lavigne's song "Hot" and Marion Raven's song "Break You".

That's just my 2 cents. Maybe one day I'll come up with a drum solo which Joey Jordison will sue me for plagiarism. Lol. Will be keeping close tab on the updates of this case.

On a different note, I seem listening to this song a lot of late:

Song recommendation of the day:
The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name

The clock never stops ticking.

2008-12-16T17:18:00.002+08:00

It has been sometime since my last post, not counting the tag. This semester seems to be passing at lightning fast speed, not giving me any time for a proper breather. Tests, assignments, lab reports. Everything within the month of December. And in January, my finals will begin.

Guess I still prefer short semesters compared to long ones, cos at least it seems to end really fast. However, as this semester ends, I've got to prepare to begin another stage in my life; living on my own in KL. Of course I'll be with friends but it most likely will not be same as the pampered life back in Penang. Somehow or rather, I've been having mixed feelings about leaving. Excitement and dread. Excited about being in a whole new environment and exploring new things, while dreading being away from home, family and dog. Guess I'll still come back a few times a year.

But overall, I've been too occupied to let my mind dwell on what's to come. Right now I've got 2 assignments with back to back datelines and a test tomorrow. Plus the music studio proposal has just been submitted to the SAO (Students' Affairs Officer).

Yes, my friend, Chinway and I are planning to turn the SRC room into a mini music studio. Something to mark our place in the college. And of course where we could come back and jam for free once we've left the college. Hopefully we'll get the thumbs up from the college administrators and we can begin turning that dump of a room into a studio.

Seems I've got so much to do and so little time. But I'm sure as hell everything will be over before i know it.

Gotta get back to work. Till then...

Song Recommendation Of The Day:
Steve Vai - The Audience is Listening

The First Tag

2008-11-23T21:34:00.002+08:00

The title says it all.

RULES:

1. People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

2. Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.

Tagged by: Tung Chinway

1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be? take revenge?
I'd leave her. Period.

2. If you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
Lottery, sports cars baybeh..

3. What is the criteria for your dream lover?
A younger version of Angelina Jolie. Girls with tattoos : Yummy

4. Do you think that the importance of excelling in studies is over-rated? Do grades guarantee success? OR is good grades a must in the competitive society that we are currently living in?
Grades do not guarantee success. That is a sure thing. It's how you get through in life and the passion you have for something which makes you strive to do your best.

5. If you have kids (now or in the future) would you say that your kids are an investment or a responsibility or an asset?
Kids are assets. Who's going to take care of you when you're old if not your kids. They will be your legacy you leave behind.

6. Which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
Being loved.

7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you really love?
I've waited years before. Will not do that again.

8. If the person you secretly like is already attached, what would you do?
If I really am into her, and her other half isn't a friend of mine then it's time to take some action. Yes I'm selfish. Hey, if she ain't married, she doesn't belong to you yet.

9. Do you think the world would be better off if everyone has the same religion/ethnicity/ etc?
Doesn't matter to me. As long as everyone would stop killing one another in the name of religion. Because no religion promotes killing. Unless you count satanism as a religion.

10. You see a 50 year old man entwine arms with a girl about the age of 20+ and find out they are gf/bf. What are your first thoughts?
DAMN I NEED YOUR SKILLS.

11. How would you see yourself in ten years time?
Rich, hot babe, hot car.

12. What's your fear?
Bugs. Crunchy ones.

13. What's the first thing you do when you wake up?
Curse my alarm.

14. Would you give all in a relationship?
No. Unless I'm very sure that it is something that will work.

15. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?
It is not possible to fall in love with two people simultaneously. That is what I think.

16. Would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing the someone has done?
It depends on how horrible the matter is. If you scratched my car, doesn't matter. You hurt my friends, dog or family, I'll kill you. Lol.

17.Do you prefer being single or having a relationship?
Doesn't really matter to me.

18. If you had a terrible past would you still dwell it in and blame the world for what they have done to you or get over it?
I'll do what I usually tell people. Get over it.

I'm gonna tag:
a) Ng Chiew Tsing
b) Ee Yin

Song recommendation of the day:
Kirisute Gomen - Trivium

Back to the daily grind..

2008-11-16T20:58:00.002+08:00

College has started again unfortunately. The holidays just flew by and I didn't even notice. But then again, don't we all. Holidays and breaks are never enough. And sure enough, as I predicted, I failed to live up to what I planned to do during the 3 week break.

Things I've done:

Get MUET done with.
Watch Avenged Sevenfold in Singapore.
Watch Tropic Thunder

Wow, only three out of the eleven I listed down quite some time ago. Guess I'm always like this. Gah.. Oh well... Pretty much spent my entire break rotting away at home, in front of the computer most of the time. Seriously not healthy, but I did get a good rest.

And oh, go watch Tropic Thunder, it's hilarious.

Recently, I've been in a weird mood, watching a lot of sob stories and romantic comedies. I mean, Kit Leong was shoving in my face Saw V and this movie about some hot japanese chick running around killing zombies and I wasn't remotely interested to watch them. So far I've watched "What Women Want" and "Must Love Dogs".. What Women Want is a superb movie, though it's an old one. Perfect date movie (hint to all the guys who want to find movies to watch with their girls at home).

Besides that, I got my results for my previous semester, though it's only the grades. Hope to find out the GPA by tomorrow.

Accounting, Economics and Management : A-
Analog and Digital Communication : A-
Circuit and Signals : A-
Microprocessor and Microcontroller Systems: A-
Maths III : A

Electromagnetic theory: C

Besides the last subject mentioned, I pretty much had a good semester.

Hopefully my GPA wil be higher than Chinway's, then it's off to TAO for my treat. Hah!

Song recommendation of the day:
I'm a bitch : Meredith Brooks

p.s: I just can't get enough of mayo.

...and it all ends with a bang.

2008-10-26T17:18:00.050+08:00

After 3 weeks of waiting, it's finally over. I've seen them live, seen them rock the stage and now I'm back home. Hard to believe that now I actually can tell people that I've seen one of my favourite bands performing LIVE. And believe me, it was not disappointing. So anyway, a quick recap of everything that happened:

Friday (24th October 2008):

Yes, it was my first time traveling alone. After being dropped off at the airport, took me a while to figure out which counter to check in. Actually stood there for a few minutes, scanning counter by counter to see which one I could go to before I finally found it. The officer wasn't too friendly.

I arrived at Changi Airport at around 2.15pm. Went to meet Kit Leong, Derrick and Ee Yin at Temasek Poly. I had to take a cab to get there, and while trying to get one, whistles were blown at me by the taxi stand operator cos I crossed some dumb yellow line. Geez...

Got to Temasek Poly in no time. The taxi driver was kind enough to share with me his thoughts on Geylang (Singapore's red light district). And no, I didn't start that conversation. Met derrick and Kit Leong at the Temasek Poly bus station but no sight of Ee Yin. Seems that she was busy.

We walked to some coffeeshop for a late lunch. Had char siew rice there. It costs double our char siew rice in Penang due to exchange rate but who cares I was hungry.

If you observe carefully you can see Kit Leong's nose hairs.

A quick bus trip got us to Derrick's apartment. It was around 4 something, and I wanted to be there early for the concert since it was free standing. Kit and I went to 7/11 to get some bread in case we got hungry and hopped on a cab to get to the Singapore Expo for the concert.

Derrick's apartment.

Kit Leong smiling with a pedo look at the little kids in the playground.

Outside the concert hall.

The concert supposed to start at 8pm. Kit Leong and I arrived at 4.30. We thought we were early. We were wrong.

A throng of black clad fans were already there. 90% of them had the words "Avenged Sevenfold" plastered across their chests. I happened to be wearing red and I really felt out of place. I was like, "Damn we need Avenged Sevenfold shirts". So we scouted the entire area for a merchandise store or stand. Walked for 30 mins, but there weren't any. So we went back to the sea of black and took a seat.

There were many doors at the expo. We took a chance and chose one in the middle. Suddenly we could hear a shout, and everyone was getting up rushing to the end of the pavilion. Needless to say, Kit and I followed suit, half running. And soon we were stuck jammed up between people. I was backed up on all four sides by guys. Kit had a better time though, he had this cute girl stuck in front of him.

Barely had space to lift my arms to take pictures.

Then the UBER long wait began. From 5 o'clock, we stood in the mass of people, breathing in cigarette smoke and the smell of sweat. Not pleasant I assure you. Of course there was some entertainment to pass the time. Like people fightning:

One of them actually landed a flying kick on the other. Hilarious. The police came and arrested the one who started the fight. A waste of a good concert ticket.

So time passed really slowly, the tension was mounting among the restless fans. Everyone started shouting in unison "Why are we waiting" from time to time. When we could hear Avenged Sevenfold having their soundcheck inside the hall, everyone started shouting and screaming, pushing and shoving. Then everyone started chanting "Sevenfold, sevenfold, sevenfold". It was amazing to be amongst people who all enjoy and have the same passion for the same music as you. Certain people started singing Avenged Sevenfold songs and everyone actually followed suit, including me. So in the end, actually it wasn't really bad getting stuck outside for 3 hours. It really built up the excitement.

Was supposed to meet Jian Wei, but he arrived late. Therefore, he was obstructed by the human wall which stretched all the way back.

Red faced from all the heat.

When the door FINALLY opened, everyone started pushing as expected. And this was where my small frame was put to good use. I managed to worm myself between people and got in before Kit Leong did.

Getting pass security. Running through the open doors. The cold blast of air conditioning. Dashing in together with the rest of the fans. And we were greeted with the sight of the stage. A magnificent backdrop of a skull with wings, the trademark of Avenged Sevenfold. I could not put it in words, how I felt at that moment. I knew that I would be seeing them on stage. Finally...

Ahhh the beauty.

Soaked in sweat but hyped up for what's to come.

Kit Leong got in like 5 minutes later. Then we tried to make our way nearer to the stage by squeezing. Managed to get in quite a bit, but it got very crowded as we moved towards the stage. Didn't really matter to me.

At 8pm, some red-clad people jumped on stage. I was like "Hey wtf that's no Avenged Sevenfold". Everyone started pushing and we were practically crushed between people. The band started playing some heavy metal music and the crowd went wild. Everyone was pushing jumping around. There was even this guy behind kit and I trying to start a mosh pit. Everyone was falling and tumbling so I quickly kept my camera in the bag.

It took everyone quite some time to realise that it was only a local band on stage. Which was dumb really. Then everyone cooled down, shouting to one another "Don't push, local band only". That was really funny. The band was supposed to be some winner of a band competition called Superbands or something. They weren't that bad actually, but I didn't pay money to see them take up Avenged Sevenfold's play time.

Pardon the shaky and blur pictures, it was hard to take with all the pushing.

The vocalist's growling vocals was quite good.

The fans practically boo-ed them off stage by chanting "Avenged Sevenfold" after every song they played. When they said they had a few more songs, the crowd actually roared with disappointment.

They took up 30 mins of performance. And after that, we had to wait AGAIN. But this time tension was really mounting up, we could see drum technicians replacing the local band's drumset with the Rev's drums. With the Death Bat on both bass drums. (Death Bat is their logo). The technician was tuning the drums, and some people actually thought he was the Rev. As usual, pushing ensued everytime he hit the drums.

Yes it's only the technician.

I was getting really restless, so were the rest of the fans. It was almost 9, and still no sight of the band. I was halfway complaining, and suddenly something happened.

The entire concert hall went pitch black.

Silhouettes of people running on-stage.

.

.

.

And the sound of scales being played on the electric guitar.

The crowd went crazy. Screaming and jumping. Putting their hands into the air, as organ music filled the hall. It was the introduction to the song Critical Acclaim.

And the lights went on, and there they were.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD

Everyone started singing in unison with M. Shadows. It was unbelievable. I could see their faces clearly. Every single one of them. It had to be one of the best moments of my life.

Some white kids started a mosh pit right in front of us. The crowd was insane but now totally focused on the band on stage. No more pushing. Just singing.

M. Shadows was in his peak condition, singing each note, performing each scream.

Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates playing a solo.

Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates playing a solo.

M. Shadows

Zacky Vengeance

Synyster Gates

The Rev (he was too far away for a good picture)

Johnny Christ

They were flawless, each note, each solo and even the backing vocals. They were awesome.

The songs they played (not in order) included:
a) Critical Acclaim
b) Almost Easy
c) Afterlife
d) Gunslinger
e) Beast and the Harlot
f) Unholy Confessions
g) Seize the Day
h) Bat Country
g) Scream
h) A Little Piece of Heaven (encore)

They were all songs that I knew. Kit didn't know the lyrics to some of the older songs though. Plus he was feeling dizzy. I was the one who was jumping, singing each song with the rest of the fans. I can remember M. Shadows addressing the fans, saying that they've out-sold Kanye West in tickets.

The encore song, as expected was A Little Piece of Heaven. I can still remember clearly, when we all chanted in unison:

Must have stabbed her 50 fucking times, I can't believe it, Ripped her heart out right before her eyes, Eyes over easy, Eat it, eat it, eat it.

Kit Leong and I in the crowd.

For me it ended too soon. But then again, I was satisfied. Avenged Sevenfold exited the stage with the sound of applause.

Got my brother his birthday present on the way out. The Diamonds in the Rough DVD-CD set. Met up with Jian Wei for a short while and got his signed drawings which he promised.

Outside the concert hall.

Kit, Jian Wei (the pro artist) and I.

After parting ways with JW, Kit and I took a taxi back to Derrick's place to shower. The taxi we took was a Mercedes. Imagine that. After a quick shower, we had supper and hung out at the reservoir nearby. I really needed to relax and get some fresh air, after standing for over 5 hours breathing in cigarrette smoke. My neck was sore from the headbanging, and so was my feet from all the jumping. It felt good just sitting down doing nothing. I knew that the next day, my neck was going to hurt even worse, but it was worth it, I had a great time.

Saturday (25th October 2008):

We got back to derrick's place around 3. Kit and I slept had on the floor. But all I needed was a pillow and I slept through the night. That's how exhausted I was. Kit couldn't sleep though, had a harder time waking up the next day.

So after packing and stuff, we made our way to Botak Jones for lunch, which Derrick claimed had good western food. And he was goddamn right. It took 20 minutes to walk there, but the food was worth the walk. They had a weird menu, where the owner would describe each of the dishes in his own words. Some were hillarious.

Had a "Botak Burger". Was worried that it would be the Ramli Burger size, but it turns out that the meat patty was uber huge. Luckily, I didn't order the double or triple burger or I would have died.

No idea what Kit is trying to do to Derrick, and I don't wanna know.

Derrick with his fighter face.

The aftermath.

Botak Jones

After lunch, we saw Kit off on the taxi (he still owes me 10 sgd), and made our way to Temasek Poly again to meet Ee Yin. Both Derrick and Ee Yin sent me off to the airport. Ee Yin wanted to go to Terminal 3, so we made our way there.

Changi Airport

Walking around Terminal 3.

Just had to put this picture up LOL.

Took this because Ee Yin said it was nice.

Our reflection in the aerotrain.

We made our way to the immigration gate and said our goodbyes.

Ee Yin and I.

Derrick (fighter face again) and I.

And that was the end of my trip. It was a great experience which was worth the trip there, worth the 3 hour wait in line, and worth the ensuing neckache. Avenged Sevenfold has set the standard for me of how live performances should be. And I'm pretty sure it's going to be pretty hard to beat.

Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible. My parents, for sponsoring it and Derrick for the free accommodation; I'll return the favor when you're in Penang.

Will upload the vids I took at the concert in Facebook soon.

Song recommendation of the day:
Avenged Sevenfold - Girl I Know

I'm leaving on a jet plane..

2008-10-23T21:15:00.003+08:00

After WEEKS of waiting and anticipating, I'm finally going to leave for Singapore TOMORROW.

I still can't really believe that I'm going to watch Avenged Sevenfold perform live. I know it will be superb; M. Shadows' vocals, Synyster Gates' guitar solos, the Rev's awesome drumming, Zacky Vengeance's outrageous on-stage tuxedos and Johnny Christ on bass.

And oh, I NEED THEIR MERCHANDISE. They better be selling (hopefully not too expensive).

Besides that will be meeting up with some friends, Derrick, Jian Wei, and hopefully Ee Yin (I don't care you better make time for me!). Will be putting up at Derrick's for the night. Should be a good trip..

Will be putting up pictures when I get back. For you jealous people to drool on. Hah!

Song reccomendation of the day:
Sarah Mclachlan - Song for a Winter's Night

...and it's over as soon as it had begun

2008-10-16T19:14:00.004+08:00

Today was the last day of the paper. Hooray for me... Didn't really explode with joy as I have actually started relaxing a few days before.. But then again, it's over! Grueling 2 weeks of stress and studying. Can never get used to it. But after it's done, it always feels good. Except dreading that e-mail from Mr. Taiff about who failed and who got borderline for the exams..

*crosses fingers for electromagnetic theory*

Anyway, after-exam celebration consisted of a usual movie with the rest of the class, and this time, bowling! Watched Max Payne which just came out. Played the game a long time ago, so I was pretty excited about it. But it turns out to be rather disappointing, as the plot twisted and turned too fast for most people to understand. Slow motion sequences were cool. So were the valkyries.. But most of the time the plot didn't make much sense.

However, Mila Kunis did star in the movie as Mona Sax (female assasin, wooooooooooooo).. So that pretty much made the movie much better for me.

H-O-T

So okay, enough of that...

The question I have to ask myself now is:

"What am I gonna do now?"

Well, among the current plans I have in mind (some suggested by friends):

Get MUET over with.
Watch Avenged Sevenfold kick ass in Singapore. (rob Derrick Say)
Practice drums at least 2 hours a day.
Work out twice a week.
Continue drum lessons at the House of Drums.
Paintball.
Ipoh Trip.
Water sports at Jerjak.
Hiking and visit Pantai Kerachut (influenced by Chiew Tsing's pictures in his blog)
Watch Tropic Thunder, looking forward to it.
Do song recordings.

Okay so the list is rather long, and I really do hope to stick to it. I have 3 weeks of freedom! I'll cross off the items on the list one by one.

Anyone else got holiday ideas do share them with me!

Song recommendation of the day:
Rage Against the Machine - Microphone Fiend

(Insert words of excitement here)

2008-10-09T11:54:00.007+08:00

I don't think I really need to say much...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
HELL YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
lol

Song recommendation of the day:
Go download all Avenged Sevenfold songs

A Reminder

2008-10-08T14:52:00.004+08:00

Remind me again why I'm going to pay 95 sgd (RM230) to watch Avenged Sevenfold live in Singapore?

Ahh, now that's why. Because they are ABSOLUTELY AWESOME live!

16 days to go! A7X here I come!

Song recommendation of the day:
This song :D

Exam Fever!

2008-10-06T13:06:00.009+08:00

Well exams are here again, starting tomorrow, and as usual, I'M HYPED UP! It's always like this when it comes to exams, because it is over as soon as it begins. It's the days leading up to it I can't stand. The tedious hours studying, worrying if I can finish on time. But somehow or rather (although I've never listened in class) I managed to come through yet again.

I have this mentality when it comes to exam, as long as I've studied, and I know I've done all that i can, it does not matter what results I get. Thus, I can always walk into the examination hall feeling confident, no matter what outcome there will be. I believe this is what has gotten me through these past few years of my degree and foundation, confidence and stability. This is because I have no worries whatsoever. It's not that I'm very sure I'm gonna get straight A's and a 4.0 gpa. It's because I don't care what I get. Of course, we all want to do the best we can. But what's important is doing your best.

A friend once asked me, what does it mean by doing one's best. There isn't a sole definition for "doing your best". Everyone has his or her own meaning to it. To some, doing your best would mean giving up everything, only focusing on studies. No tv, no computer games, manga, anime.. But no, to me, doing your best is when you've finished what you've done with the satisfaction of knowing you actually put effort into something, more effort than you normally do, but in the same time not giving up the things you enjoy in life. I still watch tv, I still go online, I still play my drums. And yet I manage to finish reading up what I have to, do tutorial questions. And build a basic foundation which is needed in the exam. Maybe some might consider me a slacker, but so far my achievements have been good enough for me. And noone can say anything about that.

However, I have to maintain my 3.67 cgpa for a first class degree. It's solely for the purpose of getting a good job, good pay in the future and of course make my parents proud. But my grades are not what really what matters the most to me.

This is my current exam timetable, as you can see this week is the tough part:

7/10 (Tuesday):
Engineering Maths III (2.30 - 4.30 pm)

9/10 (Thursday):
Circuit and Signals (9.00 - 11.00 am)

10/10 (Friday):
Basic Economics, Accounting and Management (9.00-11.00 am)
Electromagnetic Theory (3.00-5.00pm)

14/10 (Tuesday):
Analog and Digital Communication (9.00-11.00am)

16/10 (Thursday)
Microcontroller & Microprocessor Systems (9.00-11.00am)

24/10 (Friday)
Avenged Sevenfold live in Singapore oops that was kind of too big

Can't wait to get everything over with!

And oh, just for the sake of putting extra pressure and making things more fun:

Terms and conditions:

The person with lower GPA for that semester has to treat the other to a buffet lunch at Tao Cuisine Japanese Restaurant.
If the other person gets a GPA of 2.0 or below, take pity and do not force the person to treat you.

So it begins....

Song recommendation of the day:
Dark Oscillators - Superstar DJ

Past Recordings

2008-10-03T14:42:00.000+08:00

These are 2 of my previous recordings that I put up in facebook, decided to put them here too. With a little more explainations. Haven't been recording anything new lately as my exams are getting pretty near. Plus I have been spending more time experimenting with new high-hat/snare fills which I will incorporate into future solos. But in the meantime here are two previous ones. Actually have three, but the first had extremely bad quality.

(Imeem player takes some time to load)

My Second Solo

I used the windows sound recorder to record this, using a cable from the headphone slot directly into the microphone slot of my brother's laptop (mine doesn't have windows sound recorder). Played to the backing of one of the present songs in the Roland TD-9. Couple of mistakes here and there, as I recorded it on the first take plus no prior preparation. Just played according to what I felt. My first solo can be found by accessing my facebook profile.

For those who are interested to know, I used single stroke rolls for all the fills in this song.

An Original Composition

This song was actually supposed to be for the Disted song writing competition. The pianist, Lim Sze Lin wrote the song and I was supposed to add drums and lyrics into it. However, it didn't materialize due to my procrastination. So we missed the dateline. I added the drums much later, only recently to Sze Lin's beta recording. You can hear the music tempo changing from time to time, because the piano part was played without a metronome, therefore has slight errors here and there. But overall it's a good first take. Will do a better recording during the holidays.

I recorded this using Sony's Acid Pro 6.0 on my laptop (25 days trial period left.. damn)

Will come out with much more material after the exams. With extra inspiration after the Avenged Sevenfold concert!

Song recommendation of the day:
Savage Garden-To The Moon & Back

Daily Regime

2008-10-01T12:12:00.001+08:00

Current Drum Regime (Excluding 1 hour of random solo-ing):

Hands
Aim: Increase single roll speed, stamina and hand independence.

Exercises:

Paradidles (RLRRLRLL) - 90 BPM, 15 mins
Johnny Rabb speed exercise (RRRRLLLL-RRRRLLLL-RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL) - 90 BPM, 15 mins
Triplets Flam - 100 BPM, 15 mins

Feet
Aim: Increase single pedal speed, stamina and accuracy.

Exercises:
Doubles: (RLFFRLFF) - 90 BPM, 15 mins
Triplets (together with triplets flam) - 100 BPM, 15 mins

Total time: 1 hour

This is currently what I'm doing during this examination period. Will do more during the holidays.

Current Achievement:

Continuous triplets at 100 BPM on bass drums.
16th note single roll at 180 BPM.

Song recommendation of the day:
Trivium - Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr

Music

2008-09-30T18:22:00.000+08:00

Well this my third attempt on starting a blog. Hopefully this time would be a different case.

At least this time, this blog has a purpose : An insight into my life and my thoughts but more on the musical side.

What better way to start it off by my musical history?

As for most people, music plays a heavy role in my life. Signifying different phases of life one has been through, giving inspiration, feeding anger, soothing the soul.. Music pretty much does it all. It's amazing how music can affect our lives.

My musical tastes have varied throughout my years (20 of them to be exact). Below is a short timeline on how it evolved through time:

Pre-school years:

I'm pretty sure most people during their kindy years were exposed mostly to songs such as ABC, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Baa Baa Black Sheep and the like. Only after many years later I realised that the tune for all those songs were exactly the same. The person who wrote it must think kids do not have the capacity of learning to sing other tunes.. But I clearly remember that I had a thing for the christmas carols at that age. Especially Jingle Bells.. There's this video of me dancing to Jingle Bells during Chinese New Year.. Guess you can imagine..

I started playing the organ around this age. At Technics music school or something..

Primary school years:

This was the boyband/girl band era for me.. Backstreet boys, N'Sync, and Spice Girls? I clearly remember that i disliked Westlife, because they kept doing covers of old songs. And the fact that they couldn't dance.. Was a big fan of N'Sync, even had their album (pirated of course)..

Later on, I found Micheal Learns to Rock, when my dad bought this karaoke disc which had their songs. I used to think that the guitarist was the leader of the band. No idea why.. And oh, I could practically remember the lyrics to almost all of their old songs..

And, I used to hate Eminem...

High School years:

The most notable mention here for my High School years is Slipknot. Joey Jordison's drumming, the killer guitar riffs, growling vocals and angst-filled lyrics.. I was just addicted, since the day I was introduced to them. This era was also the start of my interest in drumming..

College years:

I was pretty much all-metal, all the time in High School. Must have been a pretty angry kid.. But I pretty much toned down after school ended. Diversified my tastes to cover more, relaxing music. Rediscovered Savage Garden;Truly Madly Deeply is still one of my all-time favourites.. Yeah it's unexpected for the typical metalhead me. So now I'm a fan of Sarah Brightman, Sarah Mclachlan, Brooke Fraser, Taylor Swift, Secondhand Serenade. Pretty much got pussified so to speak..

And oh, I almost forgot. I became addicted to techno at one point, which included trance, electronica and even hardstyle. I just love loud, thumping basslines.

My Drumming:

The first time I touched a drumset when I was in form 1, in the PFS band room. One of senior was like "here go ahead and try". I didn't reject. That was the first time I played an 8-beat rhythm. Though it wasn't perfect, I could coordinate myself the first time I played, after being instructed for around 5 mins. Not bad even if I say so myself.

That was when I told myself, this is the instrument i want to play. At that time I was still learning the organ.

After 4 years passed, I finally decided to take formal lessons for my drums. Didn't actually touch another drumset till then. At that time, a relatively new music school was formed in Pekaka, called Groove Music. Their concept of teaching you how to perform, rather than teaching you to pass your music exams got me on the spot. I signed up.

I trained under my first drum teacher, Lily (he's a guy i forgot his real name) for around 5-6 months. He was a good teacher, good at teaching the fundamentals, I picked up really quick. He even got me playing with a metronome at an early stage. Lily heavily influenced hand and feet fills which you can still hear me do today.

After that, Lily left, and I was taught by his ex-student, Meng. Meng was a Jazz drummer who used to play punk and metal. I learnt various types of playing under him, such as bossanova and latin. Though I didn't really get to master them, not much of an interest. But the main thing I vastly improved under him was my bass drum doubles. Playing bossanova and latin helped to improve my feet's versatility. I was under Meng for around 3 months.

And I think by this time, after form 5, I got my first drumset. A low-cost, Alpha Series SX Kit.

I had another change of teacher, this time to Amy (he's a guy). Amy played for the Jeep Jazz Trio, and played drums for recordings of local artists.

It was under him, which I found more passion in drumming. I was under his wing for 6 months, 3 months in groove, 3 months in Hitz Recording studio. But by then, my college work was getting too much to handle, and I stopped drums totally.

There was a long break, around 2 years, before I actually started playing again. And now, I don't plan on stopping anytime soon.

Well that's enough for my musical history I guess. Will post something else pretty soon, most likely on the current equipment I'm using..

Song recommendation of the day:
Vertical Horizon - You're a God